End door for enclosed rail cars

ABSTRACT

An end closure for a rail car which comprises a pair of foldable doors, each composed of a series of upright hinged panels. The first panel of each door is hinged at one side of the rail car. Each door may be secured across the end of the rail car in closed position when the panels are unfolded. The doors may be opened and secured in open position when the panels are folded and swung inward along the side of the rail car. The intermediate and upper decks of the rail car are formed with recessed or cutout portions to clear the panels when swung inward to open position. Hinged plates close or cover the cutout portions and also serve to hold the doors in open position.

[4 1 Oct. 14,1975

United States Patent [1 1 Blunden END DOOR FOR ENCLOSED RAIL CARSPrimary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant ExaminerRando1ph A. Reese0r Firm-Whittemore, l-lulbert &

m g A W m 0 n A m m h I U o S m d n l B J M. ah mm c o t n 6 V .m N H.

[73] Assignee: Whitehead & Kales Company, River B lk Rouge, Mich.

July 1, 1974 ABSTRACT An end closure for a rail car which comprises apair of [22] Filed:

App]. No.2 484,424

foldable doors, each composed of a series of upright hinged panels. Thefirst pane] of each door is hinged [52] US. 105/378; 105/368 R; 160/199;160/206; 160/213; 292/D1G. 32

at one side of the rail car. Each door may be secured across the end ofthe rail car in closed position when the panels are unfolded. The doorsmay be opened and secured in open position when the panels are foldedand swung inward along the side of the rail car.

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2% 8 m s wa an WW m 9 "m i ""1 WWW uhl w m3 0 1 2x2 2 06 hm te 0 .mfi6od 55 The intermediate and upper decks of the rail car are ReferencesCited formed with recessed or cutout portions to clear the UNITED STATESPATENTS panels when swung inward to open position. Hinged 160/206 platesclose or cover the cutout portions and also 105 3 R X serve to hold thedoors in open position.

E 16 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 963,752 7/1910 2,690,141 9/19543,544,145 12/ l 970 Cerutti 3,854,425 12/1974 Allen U.S. PatentOct.14,1975 Sheet2of7 3,911,831

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet30f7 3,911,831

FIG-1.6

F'IG.3

Sheet 4 of 7 US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 U.S. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 5of 7 3,911,831

US. Patent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet6of7 3,911,831

END DOOR FOR ENCLOSED RAIL CARS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The generalobject of this invention is to provide an end closure for a rail carwhich protect the car from illegal orunauthorized entry and which willalso protect the contents from flying objects. The closure comprises oneand preferably a pair of foldable doors which can easily and quickly bemoved from closed to open position. When closed, the panels unfold andextend across the open end of the rail car. When open, the panels foldupon one another and are swung to an out-of-the way place along the sideor sides of the rail car.

Further objects of the invention include the provision of means forsecuring the door or doors in the closed position, such means beingreadily accessible and easy to operate. Means are also provided forsecuring the door or doors in the open position. In this connection, theupper and intermediate decks of the rail car are preferably providedwith recessed or cutout portions to allow inward swinging of the foldedpanels to the open position without interference. The means for securingthe door panels in the open position will preferably also serve tosubstantially close or cover these cutout portions when the door ordoors are open. This is important from the standpoint of protecting therailroad personnel from injury.

Additional objects are to provide an end closure which is characterizedby safety in transit, in particular one having means for preventing thedoor from swinging out to the rear or beyond the side of the rail car,which has ease of operation and is a relatively simple mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparentas this description proceeds and upon reference to the accompanyingspecification, claims and drawings in which:

FIG. I is an end view of a rail car having an end closure constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view similar to FIG. 1 but with most of theend closure structure removed. This view illustrates the means forsecuring the folded door panels in open position which means also servesto substantially close or cover the cutout portions in the upper andintermediate decks.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail of a portion of FIG. 1 showing themounting of one of the foldable doors at the side of the rail car.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line. 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates various positions of a foldabledoor, including the open position, closed position and intermediatepositions.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view with parts in section showing oneof the doors in its unfolded closed position across the end of the railcar.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of FIG. 1, on anenlarged scale, illustrating part of the means for securing a doorin;the closed position.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken'on the line l0-l0 in FIG.9.

LII

FIG. 1 l is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line llll in FIG.9.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view with parts in section overlooking theintermediate deck and showing one of the doors folded in the openposition and held there by the means provided to close or substantiallycover the clearance or cutout portion formed in that deck. I

FIG. l3is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 13l3 in FIG.12.

FIG. 14 is similar to FIG. I2 but illustrates a modification.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary end view of the rail car further illustratingthe modified structure of FIG. 14.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the rail car isgenerally designated R and is shown as having the elongatedlongitudinally extending decks Al, A2 and A3, which in this instance areespecially adapted for the transport of road vehicles. A bridge B may beprovided to transfer vehicles to and from the rail car or from one carto another, and to support the bridge B, angle bridge supports 11 aresecured to the ends of the decks usually having sockets 13 by means ofwhich the bridge may be pinned to the angle bridge support. These anglebridge supports are spaced apart the same distance as the spacingbetween wheels of the vehicles to be transported, with one flange of thebridge support secured to the end of the deck and the other projectinghorizontally outwardly. It will be understood, of course, that the railcar may be used for the transport of any cargo.

The rail car has the side walls 12 and 14, is preferably closed on thetop by the roof structure 16 and is open ended. The rail car will also,of course, be provided with wheels, not shown, for running on railroadtracks.

The end closure structure for one end of the rail car is generallydesignated C and comprises a pair of doors D1 and D2 each adapted toextend across approximately one-half the end of the rail car so thattogether the two doors provide substantially a full end closure. Thedoors D1 and D2 are foldable doors and are mirror images of one anotherso that a description of one will suffice for both. It will beunderstood that a similar closure may be provided for the opposite endof the rail car.

The door D1 comprises a series of elongated upright or verticalrectangular panels 18, 20, 22 and 24 which are marginally hingedtogether along their adjacent edges by hinges 26. The hinges provide foralternate folding of the successive panels in opposite directions aswill be apparent from the diagrammatic view in FIG. 7. Thus it will beseen that the hinges between the panels l8 and 20 and between the panels22 and 24 provide for inward folding with respect to the rail car,whereas the hinges between panels 20 and 22 provide for outward folding.The panels may fold upon one another in the manner clearly shown inFIGS. 7 and 12 to open the door, and may unfold into a coplanarrelationship to close the door as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8.

These door panels may be of any desired cross section although in thepresent instance they are shown as being corrugated. The corrugationsimprove the strength of the structure.

The door D1 is pivotally mounted upon an elongated vertical hinge pin orrod 28 which is disposed at the side 12 of the rail car at one endthereof. As shown in FIG. 3, the hinge rod 28 has its lower endsupported in welded or otherwise permanently secured to the hinge i rodand to the recessed portion 32 of theside wall. Preferably this rodissupported by the anchor plates in substantially a true verticalcondition despite possible departures from vertical of: the rail .carside wall structure.

The panel 18 of the door has the aligned vertically spacedtubular hingemembers 36 rigidly secured thereto which are sleeved upon the hinge rodfor free rotation. The hinge members 36, except the lowermost one, arevertically supported by semi-circular: abutments 38 welded or otherwisepermanently secured to the hinge rod 28.'The lowermost hinge member36 issupported upon the socket 30. The panel 18 is thus supported on the'hinge rod, and it is free to turn enabling it to swing from the closedposition of FIG. 8 in which it extends transversely across the end ofthe rail car to the open position of FIG. 12 in which it extendslongitudinally of the rail car along the inner side wall.

FIG. 7 shows diagrammatically the open and closed Since the door DI isdisposed close to the ends of the upper, and intermediate decks A2 andA3 these decks are formed with recessed 'or'cutout portions 40 at theirrear side corners to allow inward swinging of the folded A panels to theNo.5 position of FIG. fl without interference.FIG..,l2 clearly shows thecutout portion 40 in deck A2, and it will be understoodthat deck A3has asimilar cutout portion. No such cutout or clearance portions need beformed in the lower deck A1 provided that the doors are'mounted abovethe lower deck as here shown. Therail car is shown as being of thetrilevel type but could of course have only one or two decks The numberof decks is not critical.

The door D1 is secured in the unfolded,"c'losed position across the endof the rail carby panel-retaining structure 42, 44 and 46. Thepanel-retaining structure 42 comprises the generally U-shaped retainersor clips 48 secured to theends of the upper and intermediate decks A2and A3. The clips 48 are disposed near the longitudinal center line ofthe rail 'car for retaining the door panel 24. As seen in FIG. 8, theclips 48 are return-bent or U-shaped members rigidly secured to the endsof the upper and intermediate decks by brackets 50. These clips 48define slots which open laterally outwardly to allow the panel 24 to beslipped'into and out of the clip with a straight, non pivotal, lateralsliding,

movement aswill be clear from positions Nos. 1 and 2 in FIG. 7.-The legsof the clip may be flexibly resilient and preferably; the free leg isturnedout where indicated at 52 to facilitate entry of the panel 24. Thepanel 24 has a tight. f t in. theclips and is held firml.ydue to thespringy nature of the clips.

The panel 20'is retained against the ends of decks A2 and A3,specifically against the angle bridge supports 11, by the retainingstructure 44. Such structure includes hooks 56 carried by the anglebridge supports 11 v and the latch mechanism 58 carried by the panel 20.Each hook 56 has a body portion 60 which is rigidly secured tothe'horizontal flange of an angle'bridge support: and a projecting hookportion 62. It also has a rearwardly projecting nose 64 which is adaptedto extend through a hole 66 in panel 20 in the closed position of thedoor as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The latch mechanism 58 on panel 20 is disposed along the outer sidethereof and includes a vertical shaft 68 which is supported for rotationin the aligned sleeves 70 welded or otherwise permanently secured topanel 20. Tube sections 72 welded or otherwise permanently secured tothe shaft 68 rest upon the sleeves 70 to sustain the load.

At about the level of each of the intermediate and upper decks A2 andA3, the door panel 20 is formed with an opening 74 to clear anangle-shaped latch 76. One leg of each latch 76 is secured permanentlyto the shaft 68 and the other leg is adapted to latch behind the hookportion 62 of a hook 56 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 8 and I0.It-will be noted that the angle bridge support 11 is cut out at 80' topermit the latches 76 to rotate from latching to unlatching positionswithout interference.

The shaft 68 of the latch mechanism 58 is adapted-to be rotated by alaterally projecting handle 80 which is pivoted by pin 82 to thelowerend of the shaft where it is easy to reach to permit the handle toswing up and down. FIG. 9 illustrates the shaft 68in the latchedposition, that is in the position in which the latches 76 engage thehooks 56 as in FIGS. 8 and 10. It is retained in this position by reasonof the handle 80 being disposed within the slot 82 defined between thepanel 20 and the keeper 84 secured to the panel. This keeper is avertical tab whose lower portion is secured to the panel and whoseupperportion 86 is spaced from the panel to define the slot,82. Thehandle 80 can be pivoted upwardly for removal from the open upper end ofthe slot to enablejt to be used to rotate the shaft 68 to the unlatchedposition, but is normally held in the slot by the pivoted retainer 90shown as an angle-shaped member having one leg secured to the panel 20by the pivot 92 and the other leg 94 overlying the slot. This re tainer90 can be pivoted clear of the slot to permit withdrawal of the handle80, but normally hangs down by gravity in the locking position shown.The retainer 90 may 'be secured in the position of FIGS. 9 and 11 tolock the handle 80 in the slot by applying a padlock for example. acrossthe leg 94 of the retainer 90 and the projecting part 96 of the keeper84, thereby preventing unauthorized opening of the door.

The retaining structure 46 for door panel 18 comprises angle members 100permanently secured to the horizontal flange of angle bridge sections 11on the decksAZ and A3 and having the flange or abutment portion 102engageable by the projecting lips 104 of the plates 106 secured to thepanel 18 when the panel is in the closed or FIG. 8 position; When panel18 is swung outward from the FIG. 12 position to the FIG. 8 position,the lips 104 engage the abutment 102 to prevent further outward swingingof the panel.

When the door assumes the unfolded closed position of FIG. 8 across theend of the rail car, it cannot fold or move away from the closedposition as long as the retaining structure 44 remains latched. Thisstructure holds the panels and 22 firmly against the angle bridgesupports 11 of the intermediate and upper decks A2 and A3 so that panel18 cannot swing inward. Panel 18 obviously cannot swing outward becauseof the re taining structure 46. The retaining structure 44 also retainspanels 20 and 22 from swinging outward and in this manner retains thepanel 24 against withdrawal from the clips 42. The nose 64 of the hook60 engages in the opening 66 of panel 20 to serve as a visual guide toindicate that the latches 76 are properly engaged with the hooks 56. 1

As stated above, the intermediate and upper decks A2 and A3 have cutoutportions 40 to clear the folded panels when they are swung from the No.4 position to the No. 5 position in FIG. 7. These cutout portions arepreferably closed in the open or No. 5 position of the door panels toprotect railroad personnel from injury. For such purpose, hinged plates120 are provided for the intermediate and upper decks, pivoted to suchdecks by the hinges 122. FIG. 12 shows one of the plates 120 in asubstantially horizontal position overlying and substantially closingthe cutout portion 40 of deck A2 when the door D1 is in the open, foldedposition. An identical plate 120 is provided for the cutout in the upperdeck A3. The plates 120 are connected together for simultaneousoperation by a readily aceessi ble vertical rod 130 which is hinged tothe plates 120 by hinge pins 132 that extend parallel to the pivot axesof hinges 122 so that the plates 120 may be withdrawn from thehorizontal operation position of FIG. 12 to the raised position shown indotted lines in FIG. 2 to permit the door D1 to be unfolded and swungoutwardto the closed position. It will be noted that a similar plate 120is provided at the level of the lower deck A1 even though no cutoutportion in the lower deck need be provided. The plate 120 at the levelof the lower deck may be dispensed with but preferably is hinged to thelower end of the operating rod 120 as a means of stabilizing it. The rodis within easy reach of a workman.

As a safety measure, a flexible linear member such as a chain or cable151 is secured to an eye 152 on the underside of one of the decks and toan eye 153 on the panel 24 of the door. The length of the cable 151 issuch that the door cannot swing laterally outwardly beyond the side ofthe rail car norrearwardly up to an abutting car. In FIG. 7, position 4shows the cable taut in the folded, transverse position of the panels.The cable is slack in positions 2 and 3 to permit the panels to swingwithin a limited range but not rearwardly far enough to hit an abuttingcar. Panel 24 is directly controlled by the cable. Panel 22, hinged topanel 24 is also controlled by the cable. Panel 18 cannot swingoutwardly beyond abutment 102. Panel 20 is controlled by panels 18 and22. More than one such cable can be employed, if desired. 1

In use, let it be assumed that the door D1 is locked in the closedposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates thedoor closed in position No. 1. To open the door, the retaining structure44 is first released. This is accomplished by rotating the shaft 68 tomove the latches 76 to the dotted line, position of FIG. 10 with respectto the hook portions 62. The handle is used to rotate the shaft 68 afterthe handle is lifted out of slot 82.

The panels 20 and 22 are thereafter partially folded to the No. 2position of FIG. 7, laterally withdrawing the panel 24 from the clips48. The panels are then successively folded to the positions Nos. 3 and4 in FIG. 7, after which the folded panels are swung inward to the No. 5position along the side of the rail car. Itwill be understood of coursethat the plates must be retraeted to the raised dotted line positions ofFIG. 2 to enable the folded panels to be swung inwardly to the No. 5position. Thereafter the panels 120, by operation of the rod 130, arelowered to the operative substantially horizontal position of FIG. 12overlying the cutout portions 40 in the intermediate and upper decks A2and A3. The cutout portions thus are substantially closed to protect theoperating personnel from injury. The plates 120 in their operativepositions also engage the panel=24 of the open, folded door to retain itin that position.

When it is desired to return the door D1 to the closed position in whichitspanels are coplanar and extend across the end of the rail car as inposition No. 1 of FIG. 7, the plates 120 mustfirst be raised to thedotted line position of FIG. 2 by operation of the rod to release thedoor.

FIGS. 14 and 15 disclose a modification ofthe invention. As there shown,the cutout portions 40 in the intermediate and upper decks A2 and A3 areclosed by plates 120' which are permanently affixed to the end panel 24of the door. Plates 120 are mounted on the inner surface of the doorpanel 24 so as not to be visible from the outside of the rail car whenthe door is closed. As seen in FIGS. 14 and 15 the plates 120'substantially close the Cutout portions 40 when the door is in theclosed position. Plates 120 each has a spring-pressed pin 200 which whenextended is adapted to engage behind the abutment 102 of the anglemembenlOO carried by the angle bridge support 1 1. The pin 200 isslidably supported in guides 202 and 204, and a compression coil spring206 surrounding the pin bears against the guide 202 and against a fixedcollar 208 on the pin to normally urge it to its extended position. Thepin is withdrawn so as to be released from the abutment 102 to permitclosing of the door by a cable or cord 210 which extends from the end of.the pin through an eye 212 on the plate 120'down to the level where anoperator can reach it. Preferably the cables or cords from the pins 200of the plates 120' at each of the intermediate and upper deck levelsareconnected together-for simultaneous operation.

Y The upper and intermediate decks are crowned as shown in FIG. 15 sothat the plates 120' will extend under the decks without interferencewhen the door is closed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An end closure for a rail car having upper and lower decks,comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels,means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one sideof the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of saidpanels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another andto unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door being adaptedto be disposed in closed position across the end of the rail car in theunfolded conditionof said panels, means for securing said door in saidclosed position, said door being adapted to be lisposed in open positionin the folded condition of ;aid panels with said panels swung inwardabout the rxis of said pivotal mounting means along one side of he railcar, said upper deck having a recessed portion Lo clear said foldedpanels when they are swung inward said open position as aforesaid, andmeans for sub- ;tantially closing said recessed portion in the openposi- Lion of said door.

2. The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said neans for closingsaid recessed portion comprises a nember mounted on the upper deck formovement be- ;ween an operative position substantially closing saidrecessed portion and a position withdrawn therefrom, and means formoving said member from one such po- ;ition to the other.

3. The end closure defined in claim 2, wherein said member when in itsoperative position serves to hold said door in its open position.

4. The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said means for closingsaid recessed portion comprises a member pivotally mounted on the upperdeck for movement between an operative position substantially closingsaid recessed portion and a position withdrawn therefrom, and a controlrod hinged to said member for moving the same from one such position tothe other, said member in its operative position serving to hold saiddoor in its open position.

5. The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said means for closingsaid recessed portion comprises a member affixed to said door in aposition to substantially close said recessed portion when said door isin its open position.

6. The end closure defined in claim 5, wherein said member is affixed tothe last panel of the series.

7. The end closure defined in claim 6, including means carried by saidmember cooperable with a part on said rail car to secure said door inopen position.

8. The end closure defined in claim 7, wherein said last-mentioned meanscomprises a spring-pressed pin normally extended to a positionengageable with said part, and means for retracting said pin.

9. The end closure defined in claim 8, wherein said member is affixed tothe inner side of said last end panel, and the end of said upper deck isformed to clear said member in the closed position of said door.

10. An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said doorhaving a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the firstend panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one endthereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold inoverlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantiallycoplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first endpanel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels andtwo panels intermediate said end panels, first means for securing saiddoor in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfoldedcondition of said panels, and second means for securing said door inopen position in the folded condition of said panels with said foldedpanels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means alongsaid one side of the rail car, said first securing means including anabutment fixed with respect to the rail car and engageable with saidfirst end panel to prevent outward swinging thereof beyond thetransverse closed position of said door, said first securing means alsoincluding releasably engageable members one of which is fixed withrespect to the rail car and the other of which is carried by anintermediate panel, said members being engageable with one another inthe closed position of said door, and said first securing means alsoincluding a retainer fixed with respect to the rail car having a slotopening transversely of the rail car in a direction toward said pivotalmounting means adapted to receive the last end panel of the series inthe closed position of the door, whereby when said releasably engageablemembers are released, said intermediate panels can be partially foldedto withdraw said last end panel from said retainer slot, saidintermediate and last end panels can be folded upon said first endpanel, and all of said folded panels can be swung inwardly to said openposition.

1 l. The end closure defined in claim 10, wherein said first end panelis hinged to one intermediate panel for inward folding only, said lastend panel is hinged to the other intermediate panel for inward foldingonly, and said intermediate panels are hinged together for outwardfolding only.

12. An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said doorhaving a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the firstend panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one endthereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold inoverlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantiallycoplanar relation, first means for securing said door in closed positionacross the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels,second means for securing said door in open position in the foldedcondition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about theaxis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car,and safety means for restricting swinging of said door when unsecured.

13. The end closure defined in claim 12, wherein said safety meansincludes a flexible linear member fixed at one end with respect to saidrail car and at the other end to one of the door panels.

14. The end closure defined in claim 13, wherein said safety meansincludes abutment means preventing outward swinging of said first endpanel beyond the position it assumes in the open position of said door.

15. An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said doorhaving a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the firstend panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one endthereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold inoverlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantiallycoplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first endpanel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels andtwo intermediate panels, first means for securing said door in closedposition across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition ofsaid panels, second means for securing said door in open position in thefolded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inwardabout the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of therail car, said first securing means including an abutment fixed withrespect to the rail car and engageable with said first end panel toprevent outward swinging thereof beyond the transverse closed positionof the door, and safety means for restricting swinging of said dooroutwardly beyond the end of the rail car and preventing swinging of saiddoor laterally outwardly beyond the side of the rail car, said safetymeans including said abutment and also including a flexible intermediatepanel for inward folding, and said inter- -mediate panels are hingedtogether for outward folding. 1

1. An end closure for a rail car having upper and lower decks,comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels,means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one sideof the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of saidpanels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another andto unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door being adaptedto be disposed in closed position across the end of the rail car in theunfolded condition of said panels, means for securing said door in saidclosed position, said door being adapted to be disposed in open positionin the folded condition of said panels with said panels swung inwardabout the axis of said pivotal mounting means along one side of the railcar, said upper deck having a recessed portion to clear said foldedpanels when they are swung inward to said open position as aforesaid,and means for substantially closing said recessed portion in the openposition of said door.
 2. The end closure defined in claim 1, whereinsaid means for closing said recessed portion comprises a member mountedon the upper deck for movement between an operative positionsubstantially closing said recessed portion and a position withdrawntherefrom, and means for moving said member from one such position tothe other.
 3. The end closure defined in claim 2, wherein said memberwhen in its operative position serves to hold said door in its openposition.
 4. The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said means forclosing said recessed portion comprises a member pivotally mounted onthe upper deck for movement between an operative position substantiallyclosing said recessed portion and a position withdrawn therefrom, and acontrol rod hinged to said member for moving the same from one suchposition to the other, said member in its operative position serving tohold said door in its open position.
 5. The end closure defined in claim1, wherein said means for closing said recessed portion comprises amember affixed to said door in a position to substantially close saidrecessed portion when said door is in its open position.
 6. The endclosure defined in claim 5, wherein said member is affixed to the lastpanel of the series.
 7. The end closure defined in claim 6, includingmeans carried by said member cooperable with a part on said rail car tosecure said door in open position.
 8. The end closure defined in claim7, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a spring-pressed pinnormally extended to a position engageable with said part, and means forretracting said pin.
 9. The end closure defined in claim 8, wherein saidmember is affixed to the inner side of said last end panel, and the endof said upper deck is formed to clear said member in the closed positionof said door.
 10. An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldabledoor, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotallymounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail caradjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together soas to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold intosubstantially coplanar relation, said door including in addition to saidfirst end panel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series ofpanels and two panels intermediate said end panels, first means forsecuring said door in closed position across the end of the rail car inthe unfolded condition of said panels, and second means for securingsaid door in open position in the folded condition of said panels withsaid folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mountingmeans along said one side of the rail car, said first securing meansincluding an abutment fixed with respect to the rail car and engageablewith said first end panel to prevent outward swinging thereof beyond thetransverse closed position of said door, said first securing means alsoincluding releasably engageable members one of which is fixed withrespect to the rail car and the other of which is carried by anintermediate panel, said members being engageable with one another inthe closed position of said door, and said first securing means alsoincluding a retainer fixed with respect to the rail car having a slotopening transversely of the rail car in a direction toward said pivotalmounting means adapted to receive the last end panel of the series inthe closed position of the door, whereby when said releasably engageablemembers are released, said intermediate panels can be partially foldedto withdraw said last end panel from said retainer slot, saidintermediate and last end panels can be folded upon said first endpanel, and all of said folded panels can be swung inwardly to said openposition.
 11. The end closure defined in claim 10, wherein said firstend panel is hinged to one intermediate panel for inward folding only,said last end panel is hinged to the other intermediate panel for inwardfolding only, and said intermediate panels are hinged together foroutward folding only.
 12. An end closure for a rail car comprising afoldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, meanspivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of therail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panelstogether so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and tounfold into substantially coplanar relation, first means for securingsaid door in closed position across the end of the rail car in theunfolded condition of said panels, second means for securing said doorin open position in the folded condition of said panels with said foldedpanels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means alongsaid one side of the rail car, and safety means for restricting swingingof said door when unsecured.
 13. The end closure defined in claim 12,wherein said safety means includes a flexible linear member fixed at oneend with respect to said rail car and at the other end to one of thedoor panels.
 14. The end closure defined in claim 13, wherein saidsafety means includes abutment means preventing outward swinging of saidfirst end panel beyond the position it assumes in the open position ofsaid door.
 15. An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door,said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mountingthe first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacentone end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to foldin overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantiallycoplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first endpanel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels andtwo intermediate panels, first means for securing said door in closedposition across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition ofsaid panels, second means for securing said door in open position in thefolded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inwardabout the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of therail car, said first securing means including an abutment fixed withrespect to the rail car and engageable with said first end panel toprevent outward swinging thereof beyond the transverse closed positionof the door, and safety means for restricting swinging of said dooroutwardly beyond the end of the rail car and preventing swinging of saiddoor laterally outwardly beyond the side of the rail car, said safetymeans including said abutment and also including a flexible linearmember fixed at one end with respect to said rail car and at the otherend to said last end panel.
 16. The end closure defined in claim 15,wherein said first end panel is hinged to one intermediate panel forinward folding, said last end panel is hinged to the other intermediatepanel for inward folding, and said intermediate panels are hingedtogether for outward folding.